I'll Be Home for Christmas
by xIrelandx
Summary: Phoenix accidentally sets the Christmas tree on fire. Phoenix/Apollo, implied Athena/Blackquill.


This was definitely not how Phoenix intended things to go.

You'd think he would know better, being a lawyer and all. He saw so many lawsuits over accidental arsons that he should _know_ this was in no way a good idea. But Apollo had been visiting Clay's dad, now a father without a wife or a child, and Phoenix wanted to do something special for when he got back.

This…was not a part of his plans.

They were let back into the office within an hour and a half. The fire wasn't so bad that the whole apartment went down, but Phoenix was definitely going to have to pay for the burn damage. And also the water damage done to the place and the apartment below to put the fire out.

Athena was shivering still from the impact and sprinkler system, the Santa hat tilting off of her head. She yawned and tried to discreetly look at her watch. Phoenix rolled his eyes at her - "You don't have to stay, if you don't want to."

Athena frowned up at him. "But Apollo's not back yet."

"It's not like you're never going to see him again." She still looked uncertain, judging the time more clearly now. Phoenix sighed. "You're tired, kid," he said, his inner hobo slipping out again. "Go home."

She stood, her legs asleep from sitting on them for so long. She nearly fell over, Trucy rushing to prop her up. There was a slight blush to her cheeks, and Trucy smirked. "Say hi to Prosecutor Blackquill for me!" she shouted as Athena grabbed her coat. Athena opened her mouth to ask how she knew, but she seemed to think better of it and left with a small wave, too tired to even call_goodnight_.

After she left, Phoenix turned to his daughter. "And Trucy -"

She stamped her foot, hands on her hips. "I am _staying up_ until Apollo gets home!" Phoenix allowed the motion, but there was no real reason for him to worry.

She was passed out on the couch within five minutes of her tantrum.

* * *

><p>It was a little after one in the morning when Apollo found his key to unlock the door to the office. He didn't really want to bother the Wrights, but the office was so much closer to the airport than his own apartment was and he didn't think he'd be able to make it back home without falling asleep in the cab.<p>

He was more than a little surprised to find the lights were still on. Trucy was asleep on the couch, a small blanket pulled over her body. He heard shuffling from his right, and turned to see Mr. Wright leaving the kitchen with a mug of coffee. "Oh, hey," he said quietly.

Apollo opened his mouth and looked to Trucy to make a comment, but his eyes were caught on something else. "Oh my god, Mr. Wright, what the hell happened to the tree?!"

Phoenix had almost forgotten about that. He looked up at the section of the office Apollo was currently looking at. He turned away quickly, a blush spreading over his cheeks as he rubbed the back of his head, nervous. "Oh, yeah. It, uhm…kinda caught on fire?"

Apollo's bracelet pinched. This was going to be one hell of a good story. "Exactly how did you manage to catch a Christmas tree, of all things, on fire? We don't even have a lighter in here after what happened to Klavier's guitar a year ago. You even make Trucy keep all her explosive magic material at my apartment with her cat."

Phoenix winced. "Yeah. I, uh. I bought a box of matches."

"You're biting your lip."

"Huh?"

"You're biting your lip. That's not the full story. Stop stalling, Mr. Wright, and tell me what happened."

"…Haven't I told you to call me Phoenix yet?"

"Stop changing the subject, then, Phoenix!"

He sighed, rubbing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. "Okay, okay. I… I…" he huffed. "You know how that Christmas song refers to 'candles on the tree'?"

Apollo frowned. "Seriously? You followed the directions of a Christmas song written in the 1940s?"

The blush intensified. "I thought it would be romantic!" he blurted. And then, realizing what he said, he froze.

Apollo's eyebrows raised. "Romantic?"

"Wait, that's - I don't think - Ah, shit."

Apollo smiled to himself, staring at the ground as Phoenix shifted weight from foot to foot, twitching nervously. Without warning, Apollo pushed Phoenix back softly, against the wall, standing on his toes to press their lips together. Phoenix is too shocked to close his eyes at first, but settles down within a second. It might not have been what he meant to say, but it wasn't like this wasn't what he wanted. Apollo's hands were on his shoulders, and he put his on Apollo's back, head following as Apollo pulled away.

"You're ridiculous," he muttered. "Why didn't you just say something."

"Don't actions speak louder than words?"

"Try again," Apollo replied, holding up the arm with the bracelet for emphasis.

Phoenix sighed. "I can't ever keep a secret from you."

"Nope."

He looked Apollo in the eyes, and swallowed, not really knowing how to phrase it. "I… didn't think you'd be ready. Not so soon after Clay died."

Apollo shrugged uncomfortably. "He was…my best friend. He - wait a minute." Apollo smiled. "You thought we were dating."

"Well…yeah?" Phoenix frowned. "We all kind of thought you were, the way you talked about him -"

"Oh my god," Apollo laughed. "No, Christ, Clay was straight. The only guy he would ever have made an exception for is Mr. Starbuck."

To say Phoenix was shocked would be a massive understatement. "Excuse me? What? Are we even talking about the same group of people?"

Apollo rolled his eyes. "Exactly why did you think Clay wanted to get together to gossip about the new girl at the office? I might be gay, but that doesn't mean I'm effeminate. Jesus."

"Oh," Phoenix was embarrassed, but tried to cover with, "Sorry. I must have been confusing you with Edgeworth."

Apollo snorted, hiding his face in the older man's chest. "Daddy? Polly?" They looked over to where Trucy was sitting, hair all mussed from awkward sleeping on an uncomfortable couch.

"Yeah, honey?" Phoenix asked.

"If you're going to make out, could you please do it more quietly? Some of us are trying to sleep."


End file.
